Socket assembly for fluorescent lamp fixtures



Aug. 7, 1951 J. H. WISE SOCKET ASSEMBLY FOR FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURESFiled Oct. 15, 1948 Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICESOCKET ASSEMBLY FOR FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURES Jacob H. Wise, Chicago,111.

Application October 15, 1948, Serial No. 54,687

Claims. (01. 24o--51.1i)

My invention relates to fluorescent lamp fixtures of the overhead type,and more particularly to means for retaining the sockets thereof, andone object is to provide a receptaclev and socket assembly which retainsthe socket firmly and requires no screws or other special means tosecure the same.

A further object isto provide a socket receptacle which is simply andfirmly attachable to the fluorescent lamp fixture.

Another object is to design the assembly in a manner to save labor andfatigue in the assembling or servicing. of the fixture.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggestthemselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of theinvention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which-Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fluorescent lamp fixture incorporatingthe present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a lamp socket adapted for the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a single socket and a corresponding typeof receptacle, with the receptacle secured on the top member of asupporting casing and with the bottom member of the casing removed;

Fig, 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a twin type of receptacle.

Fluorescent fixtures of the type under consideration comprise a longcasing containingv the electrical wiring and units accessory to thefluorescent lamp; and the sockets for the latter the cover for thepurpose of installing or servicing parts of the fixture. While thecasing member I I may be attachable to the cover it by any suitablemeans, I prefer to do this by means of snap tongues 12 projecting fromthe walls of the 2, easing into perforations l3 made in the flanges l 4of. the cover.

Lamp sockets for the fixture under consideration are more or lessstandard. and comprise a block 20 extended downwardly with a hanger 2|,the latter having the necessary recessed formation 22 for fitting thecorresponding lamp terminal. While sockets of this character may receivedevices of various types to attach them to the fixture, I have foundthat such devices add substantially to the cost of the fixture; also,the installationof the socket, because of the overhead position. of thefixture involves labor and fatigue, rendering the fixture inefiicientfrom the installing point of view; and sockets attached by conventionalmeans often develop looseness and insecurity, prejudicing, the stabilityand performance of the lamp. To-overcome these deficiencies I havedeveloped a novel receptacle for the socket, and slightly altered thelatter to make for an assembly which is simple, quickly installed andserviced, and rigid in relation to the fixture and the lamp.

Accordingly, the receptacleis in the form of an endplate 25 formed withside walls 26, a top 21 and laterally-spaced bottom sections 28. Thereceptacle is designed to be set in the end of the cover In as clearlyshown in Fig. 3; and the cover is pressed downwardly at a point near itsend so as to provide a cup 29 having a fiat bottom and parallel sides asone component of a joint to seat and secure the receptacle to the cover.As shown, the receptacle top 21 is also pressed downwardly so as toprovide a well 30 opening on the inner edge of the top 2.1; and thebottom of the well has an entrance slot 3| extending into the center ofan internal crown-32 formed from such bottom- When the receptacle isapplied as shown, the crown 32 seats in a countersink 34 of the cupbottom while the sides of the wellwhich are also parallel-fit those ofthe cup. This assembly locates the receptacle against lateral ortwisting movement; and the cup bottom is tapped in the center to receivea screw 35 directed from the inside of the crown 32 through the slot 3|to firmly secure the assembled parts. As an additional safeguard, thecover is struck downwardly with a pair ofv tongues 36 along the inneredge of the receptacle top, providing stops for the location and properretention of the receptacle in respect to the cover; The receptacle,secured as described, has the conventional facility of terminalknock-out blanks 31, in case the passage of wires or other means isdesired through its end wall.

The application of the socket to the receptacle involves the bottomsections and end wall of the latter. Also, an alteration of the standardsocket is made by cutting the sides of the hanger 2| with a pair ofslots or notches 40 adjacent to the base 20. The depth of the slots issuch that the distance between the bottom faces of the notches is thesame as the spacing of the bottom sections 28 of the receptacle, so thatthe hanger for each receptacle can be slid into the entrance of the saidsections, which is rounded as indicated at 4|, and backed until thesocket base meets the receptacle wall 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Thesliding action of the socket base is resisted by a pair of bosses 42pressed up from the bottom sections 28 at the outer ends thereof inposition to engage the notches 40, so that the socket becomes firmlylodged in the outer end of the receptacle at the end of its slidingmovement.

While the socket, fitted as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, may be considered aslocked vertically, laterally and outwardly, means are also provided tolock the socket inwardly. 'flius, Figs. 1 and 6 indicate that each endof the casing bottom is formed with a rectangular notch 43 suitable toreceive the hanger 2|. When the casing has been attached to the coverI0, the notches 43 serve as stops to check the possible inward movementof the sockets.

Lamps of the type considered herein are often installed in linearmultiple arrangement. In such cases the adjoining the pairs of socketsare necessarily spaced and form a noticeable shadow or dark spot whenthe lamps are lighted. A modified receptacle is shown by means of dottedlines at the left-hand end of Fig. 1, and enlarged in Fig. '7. Themodification is designed to reduce the shadow or dark spot referred to.Thus, the receptacle is a double form of the original one with the Wallexcluded. This construction permits one receptacle to serve two lamps;and the sockets applying to the receptacle may be grouped together, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7 to materially lessen the shadow ordark spot referred to.

It is now apparent that the novel socket assembly is an arrangementwhich is simple, easy to install or take apart, and dependable. First,the provision of the cover as a shallow support for the casing andreceptacles allows easy access from all sides for the application orremoval of the supported parts. Further, the receptacles areself-alining to properly fit the cover by reason of the raisedformations 29 and 30, these being made fast by the mere application of ascrew driver. Further, the cover tongues 36 serve as simple stops orguides when the receptacles are set in place, keeping them spaced theproper distance, the formations 29 and 3D and the flanges M of the coverlocking the receptacles against rotating or twisting influences. Thelocked installation of the sockets has been described, to the end thatthey maintain their proper positions and cannot loosen, vibrate ordeviate in respect to the lamp. The features described involve but fewparts which are steady and capable of being installed, serviced orremoved with ease and dispatch.

I claim:

1. In a fluorescent light fixture, the combination of a cover member inthe form of a channel 4 adapted to be secured to a ceiling with its sideflange portions extending downwardly, a receptacle formed of sheet metalcomprising a top wall portion, an end wall portion formed integrallywith said top wall portion at its rear edge and extending downwardlytherefrom, oppositelydisposed side walls also formed integrally withsaid top wall portion and extending downwardly in parallel relationshipto each other therefrom,

and spaced flanges extending inwardly from the bottom edges of said sidewalls, a lamp socket having notches in its sides adapted to have snugsliding engagement with said spaced flanges for gripping the socket soas to hold it removably in position at the end of said cover member, andmeans for holding said receptacle firmly in releasable position in saidcover member with its top wall portion engaging the top wall portion ofsaid cover member.

The structure of claim 1, said flanges being provided with raised offsetlugs adapted by engagement with said notches to hold said socketfrictionally in position with respect to said receptacle.

3. The structure of claim 1, the means for holding said receptaclereleasably in position comprising a cup pressed downwardly from saidcover member in position to engage a well pressed downwardly from thetop wall portion of the receptacle, and a screw mounted by means ofscrew-threads in said cup in position for its head portion to engage anotch in said well opening to the edge of the top wall portion of thereceptacle, said screw being adapted to be tightened for preventingwithdrawal of the receptacle from said cover member.

4. The structure of claim 1, said fixture having a casing depending fromsaid cover member so as to form a housing therewith, and having a notchin its end portion making a snug fit about a portion of said socket soas to hold the socket non-rotatably in position with respect to saidhousing.

5. The structure of claim 1, the means for holding said receptaclereleasably in position comprising a cup pressed downwardly from saidcover member in position to engage a well pressed downwardly from thetop wall portion of the receptacle, and a screw mounted by means ofscrew-threads in said cup in position for its head portion to engage anotch in said well opening to the edge of the top wall portion of thereceptacle, said screw being adapted to be tightened for preventingwithdrawal of the receptacle from said cover member, and said cup andwell having parallel sides to be non-rotatable about a vertical axis inrespect to each other.

JACOB H. WISE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,295,788 Hoeveler Sept. 15, 19422,316,404 Carter, Jr. Apr. 13, 1943 2,345,234 Carter Mar. 28, 19442,408,783 Kloner Oct. 8, 1946 2,434,781 Kurtzon Jan. 20, 1948

